Why?
Physics undergraduate and postgraduate courses offer students the opportunity to understand and explore how the universe behaves and why it acts the way that it does. At Oxford, you will have the chance to learn about physics concepts ranging from interactions between subatomic particles to the nature of faraway galaxies. A wide range of topics is taught in physics degrees making them ideal for students who are keen to discover the many mysteries physics has to offer.
Course
A typical week for an undergraduate Physics student at Oxford will consist of 8-10 hours in lectures, 6 hours in laboratories plus write-up time, and two hours of tutorials. Practical work is mandatory for all three years of the undergraduate BA and you can expect to spend on average one day a week in laboratories. Most of this workload is unsupervised so it falls to you to structure your time effectively.
In the first year, you will cover five modules. These modules will consist of fundamental areas of 'classical' physics, differential equations, mathematical methods, special relativity and the physics of electric and magnetic fields. By the third year, students can specialise in four of six offered modules. These modules will cover concepts such as general relativity, quantum physics and cosmology. All exams are taken at the end of each year. Students can choose — and most do — to continue their studies for a fourth year, culminating in being awarded a MPhys. degree.
Applying
The Department of Physics at Oxford currently considers offers from students who are expected to achieve A*AA at A-level, including an A* in either physics or mathematics. However, the large majority of successful applicants achieve A*A*A or better.
Particularly promising students will be selected based on their Physics Aptitude Test (PAT) score and the information on their UCAS application. Such applicants will be invited to take part in three interviews at the university.
The Oxford Physics Department is looking for students who can demonstrate a real interest and a strong desire to learn physics, along with reasoning ability, physical intuition and the capability to express physical ideas using mathematics.
Statistics
2017 - Applications: 1221, Offers: 196, Acceptance Rate: 15%.
HOW WE CAN HELP
Personal Statements
Our Mentors offer advice on personal statement structure and writing; they also recommend literature.
Entrance Tests
Oxbridge entrance exams are different from GCSEs and A Levels; our Mentors can help you with them.
Interviews
Interviews are vital to Oxbridge success. They are also what students practise least; our Mentors can help.
Support Courses
View our tried and tested courses, designed to ensure that your Oxbridge application succeeds.
KEY PHYSICS RESOURCES
Oxford
My passion for dentistry stems from witnessing my uncle treating emergency patients at his dental clinic while on holiday two years ago. This has led me to pursue dentistry as I observed how dentists have the ability to provide great comfort and care to numerous people. This experience demonstrated to me how it is a career where "no one size fits all" and it is this unique drive that appeals to me the most.